Incredible Woodworking Co

How A Wood Bench Helps Your Home Decor

Why Use Wood Benches?

Trends of recent years have led people to use live edge kitchen tables or seek out custom made wood decor. The little thought of wood bench has slowly crept into the scene as a viable solution for helping home decor. Its advantages definitely gives many merits to its use.

If you have ever acquired a handmade dining table then it would come as no surprise that often there will be no chairs to match. This has left gaps in what craftsmen are able to fulfill with the needs of the client. Here is where the bench began to come as a solution.

The Kitchen Table Wood Bench

It may seem like a throwback in time yet it has become more mainstream. We sit in booths at restaurants just as readily as chairs. So it should be no surprise that the wood bench could serve to readily fill this gap.

We are not talking about the plank benches of the 1800’s. Much like custom made tables these benches can also be custom designed. Matching the new table is as easy as using the same species wood and finishing. If you are looking for more flair then live edge is definitely possible.

Backs can be used in much the same way as a chair so that one can rest while seated. Cushions can also be had easily to be placed on them if so desired. Many prefer the rustic look that the finished wood will offer to the visual aesthetics.

Rustic Creations Online

As this feature has become more popular it also became an alternative solution to seating with store bought tables. Some showrooms sport benches made by various brands. A quick search online can quickly display the mass offerings by many of these places.

What advantages to you get by using a bench? Aside from the visual appeal it offers a more intimate setting. Stability is gained as they are more difficult to rock back too far and flip over as compared to a chair. Plus if you consider the design you can also obtain additional storage space.

A bench can be made so that beneath its seating it can have open or an enclosed storage area. One hidden aspect to its versatility can be found in it giving more space to the dining area if needed. The table can be offset closer to the wall.

People are accustomed to a little slide in when seated at a booth within a restaurant. Much can be the same with the smaller breakfast table or nook at home. It allows for the table to be positioned closer to a wall where the bench is used. Floor space is salvaged giving more free space in the surrounding area.

Other Bench Uses Within The Home

Of the more common places to find a bench within the home an entry or foyer is among the most common. Often these will sport storage compartments alongside other welcoming features to hang coats or umbrellas. Yet this is not the full extent of how they can be used.

lake erie woodworks

Within screened porches or covered decks they can also be commonly found for hosting parties or events. Yet they can still be used within other rooms for a similar purpose in entertaining. The wood bench of days gone by are not the same as today.

Custom benches can be made to be more like a couch. Clearly here you would want cushioning of some kind for added comfort. Yet their specification in length can be tailored to your needs within a given room. They are more robust than what one would typically find surrounding a dining table.

While I would not personally desire this for my main living room area they definitely provide a solution for dens or other entertaining areas. There are some catches that you may wish to know if you are thinking of going this direction. Let’s get into aspects to help you shop or build to your needs.

Know Your Wood Colors

To get the most out of your visual aesthetics it is best to go with a wood species in color which will work with you. If you like a darker color for the room consider Walnut as a possible wood to use. If you are looking for a lighter color Oak or Maple may be the way to go.

Stains can fill the gap on helping to get the finish color where you desire it to be. Yet by trying to stay close to the natural color you get the most out of the wood. The more color that is used within the stain the more it begins to hide the grain. In cases where there are not strong grain lines this may not matter.

Yet within some lumber the stronger grain lines begin to make what one has incredibly beautiful. The character cannot be matched by anything that can be found. Allowing this natural accent to be displayed often becomes the priority.

Typically different wood species will be divided in color by light or dark. Yet there are many which have composites of both light and dark colors found within the grain. If one wished to use more expensive spalted variations you can create the ultimate beauty within the furniture.

Consider The Construction Personally

I would advise to consider how you would want the construction to be done for your benches. Personally I prefer wooden legs or framing for the base. In recent years metal framing has become popular especially for tables. To me this cheapens out on the visual appeal and quality of the design.

Wood species also affects more than just the color. Strength will become a factor. Yet with most of the commonly used hardwoods within North America you will be safe. Nevertheless I would prefer a consistency in grain density across the boards. Not all wood species are equal in this regard.

Field And Hawken Co UK

Cedar is beloved by many including myself. I love its smell and appearance. Yet it does not have consistency in density across a board. The lighter grain areas are more porous and open. The darker colored grains are closed, dense, and tightly bound together. This does not always bode well for furniture.

Species such as Maple, Oak, Walnut, and Poplar are far more consistent across its grain. Density in these does not vary to a point where weak spots are created that could be exploited by stress. There are few species where this could be an issue but any of a spalted variation should be reviewed closely.

Spalted wood gets its character due to damage which has occurred. This damage can come from many things such as wind storms or fungi which has managed to get into the tree. The beauty which is created is a result of a stress which caused it.

Within most boards the weak points can easily be cut away and removed while the heart of the board is still strong and durable. Nevertheless it is a point of consideration if you are the one selecting the lumber for the project.

TnC Iron Wood

If you are building your own benches in a diy fashion and select wooden legs or framing there is one additional consideration. You will want the wood grain of the legs to run vertical to the floor. This provides considerably more strength. Alternatively if legs are slanted at an angle you want the grain to follow the direction of where the weight and stress will be placed.

I have seen tables and benches made where no consideration was given in this regard. If supporting legs are made and its grain is horizontal to the floor stress over time can break them. The greatest strength within wood is always found when it supports itself along the direction of the grain.

While you may not care to make your own benches information such as this can still be useful when shopping. Indicators such as these are easy to see and provides you with an idea of the quality behind the work.

Two Tone Or Multi Tone Wood Benches

If you are looking to have benches custom designed there is an alternative to what is commonly found. In the event that you love the smell of cedar but do not want it as the primary support you can use it another way. Utilizing cedar as part of its storage compartment while the rest of the bench is of another species is an option.

You can also mix and match species for other reasons. A mix of Walnut and Maple or Oak can make for a beautiful bench. The visual aesthetics from this adds a unique feel from the colors that is hard to find in commercial furniture.

Aspects such as this aid in rooms where different decor or colors may be used over time. Moving to a new home will create less stress in wondering if the existing furniture that you have will match or not. The color of the hardwood floors would matter less from one place to the next and its impact on visual appeal.

More Exotic Features

If you really wish to show off you could add features such as rivers or epoxy resin art to the benches. This is more common to find in tables yet it does not mean it is exclusive to them. It can become an expensive added feature yet many find it worth the effort.

CustomMade

Some have taken more common lumber that can be had at a cheaper price to add a personal flair. Wood burning the lumber then adding specialized stains can really set off a bench or other furniture piece. This does not create anywhere near the expense of things like epoxy resins. While an altogether different art it definitely holds its own merit in appeal.

Artist wood carving can be added. Alternatively cnc applications can reduce some of the expense of an artists hand carving yet still it is not always cheap. Yet with these art designs you can customize the family name or symbols which the family loves. This creates a very personally made bench that is unique to your family alone.

A bench is not always just a bench. There are many options which one can undertake to make something beautiful. The added appeal that it brings to your home has exponential value.

The Benefit Of Wood

The greatest benefit of wood designs in things like benches is that it is not limited. There are so many possible variations, applications, and custom design which can be made. Over time if one decides they wish for a change it can be refinished.

You do not have to be limited by what the retailers offer you in stores. As more options and variety becomes available by using a woodworker or craftsman the more likely you are to have long term satisfaction. It no longer is just a piece of furniture.

The home you live in should reflect you and the personality of your family. It should not represent the catalog or showroom floor of any given store. Adding pieces such as a wood bench may be a very simple thing yet it gives so much character.

These same principles apply to many other features within your home. There will always be those items we buy from the mass produced world. Nevertheless these quality accents will be the pieces that ultimately define the feel and appearance of what your home is.

Among the greatest benefits to these custom wood designs is that it will be solid hardwoods with no shortcuts. They are robust and durable. There is no question that they will stand the test of time. It is a long term investment that can be refinished when they begin to show some wear.

My Personal Work Excluded

In case you are wondering if I perform this kind of work I will have to say that I do not. Despite the fact that I could do this kind of tailored work it is not where my focus is. If you are looking for someone to produce an item of this nature look around locally to where you live.

The best deals can be found in small crafter shops by men who have been hobbyist for many years. Not only will they have the best deals and solid craftsmanship, but also they often have the most exotic wood. It may seem odd but guys like us collect wood like kids used to collect baseball cards.

The question will become how much that exotic board is worth to you in having. We sometimes have attachment issues to our lumber for a project we may not get around to before we finally die.